Canistherapy
Canistherapy is another animotherapeutic method that C. H. Mirákl, o.p.s. uses. This therapy uses dogs for treating children.
Our association has three therapy dogs – golden retrievers Jambie and Barny and a Yorkshire terrier Gina. It is performed as an individual therapy, very rarely as a group therapy for a maximum of three children. The therapy length is 15-30 minutes according to the needs of the child.
At present, canistherapy is performed in cooperation with CKP Roseta, it is an every-day part of hiporehabilitation stays and occasionally it is also offered during hiporehabilitation weekends in Holubice.
The use of canistherapy is very broad. In addition to improving motor skills, dogs also help develop emotional, intellectual and social skills of the client. It is used for children, but it also represents an important tool in geriatric centers, hospitals or psychiatric hospitals.
In C. H. Mirákl, o.p.s. we use canistherapy for children for:
- improvement of gross motor skills (Bobath concept and positioning are used),
- improvement of fine motor skills (pictures and rewards for dogs are used),
- improvement of mental skills (playing with dogs, obedience training, outdoor skills),
- improvement of speech and cognitive functions (using special speech therapy aids).
